Setting up an iOS device for public use

There are a number of system settings that can be configured when setting up an iOS device for use as a public kiosk. These are ones we recommend:

Disable Auto-Brightness

iOS devices use an ambient light sensor to adjust brightness levels based on the light conditions around the device, lowering brightness in dark locations and raising brightness in light locations. Unfortunately, when the iPad is placed in an enclosure that covers the light sensor (as is often the case in kiosk use), the device will falsely believe it is in a dark location and can dim the screen, making the device difficult for visitors to use.

While auto-brightness feature is on by default, in iOS 11, you can turn auto-brightness on or off under Settings > General > Accessibility > Display Accommodations. In iOS 10 and earlier, go to Settings > Display & Brightness. It is not possible to disable auto-brightness remotely through MDM at this time so this one is important to configure prior to placing kiosks in the field.

Disable Notifications tab

The Notifications Tab that can be pulled down from the top of the screen now includes an "Edit" button, allowing visitors to enable a handful of notifications. Some of these notifications can allow visitors to leave the app.

Currently, the only way to fix this is to enable Guided Access or Single App Mode on your device. This will completely disable the Notifications tab so it cannot be opened.

To enable Guided Access, open the iPad Settings and navigate to General > Accessibility > Guided Access and toggle Guided Access on. You can set a passcode inside this window, or within Kiosk Pro after activating it by triple-clicking the Home button. To disable Guided Access again, triple-click the Home button, input your passcode, and choose "End". More information about Single App Mode can be found here.

Disable Control Center

Apple's Control Center gives visitors quick access to commonly used settings and apps like WiFi and Bluetooth settings, screen brightness, and the device camera. Guided Access and Single App Mode/Lock both effectively disable the Control Center within the app automatically.

To manually disable access from within apps, go to Settings > Control Center > Access Within Apps: Off.

Disable Multitasking Gestures

Multitasking gestures allow visitors to exit or browse between apps with touch gestures on the screen. Guided Access and Single App Mode/Lock both effectively disable Multitasking Gestures within the app automatically.

Enable Restrictions

We recommend using Restrictions to put a passcode lock on most apps and settings, including purchases through the App Store, in case the Home screen or system settings is accidentally exposed to visitors. More information on setting up restrictions on an iOS device are here.

Disable Siri

If your device is plugged into a power source, Siri can be activated by saying "Hey Siri". This can allow visitors to leave Kiosk Pro if activated.

To disable this, go to Settings > General > Siri > Allow "Hey Siri" and toggle this to off.

Disable Emoji and other language keyboards

While alternate keyboards don't allow visitors to exit the app, they are potentially a source of confusion for visitors.

To disable this setting:

Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards

Select "Edit" in the top right corner.

Select the red minus circle to the left of "Emoji".

Select "Delete" to disable it.

To enable it again, select "Add New Keyboard" from this screen and find "Emoji" in the list of keyboards.

Disable Predictive Text

There is a known bug in iOS 8 that causes Predictive Text to occasionally predict passwords, which is obviously a security risk.

This setting can be disabled within iPad Settings, though if multiple keyboards are enabled, the option to enable Predictive text will appear if you long-press the Globe or Emoji icon from the keyboard.

To completely disable this setting, go to Settings > General > Keyboard and make sure you delete all but one keyboard and switch Predictive to off.

Disable Auto-Correction & Auto-Capitalization

These features can sometimes be frustrating for visitors. While we disable these by default within Kiosk Pro, some websites may still have auto-correct enabled which can override our configuration, so we recommend turning these off in iPad Settings.

To disable these settings, go to Settings > General > Keyboard and toggle these to off.